


The Best Worst Date In The Great Sea

by TheLastApollo



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Genre: Action/Adventure, Awkward Romance, F/M, Romance, Tsundere Tetra
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-09 07:52:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15262815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLastApollo/pseuds/TheLastApollo
Summary: A sparring match goes awry when Link and Tetra decide to bet on the outcome. If Tetra wins, Link has to clean the ship in one of her royal dresses. If Link wins, he gets to take Tetra out on a romantic evening. Hijinks ensue. Link x Tetra





	1. A Deal's A Deal

The dizzying spectacle had reached its half-way point. Blow after vicious blow sent ripples in the damp air as Tetra’s scimitar collided with Link’s shield; only for their devastating blows to push them further back against the walls of the pirate ship’s lower deck. Link readied himself, pressing his boots against the hard wooden decking and preparing for another round of Tetra’s offensives. His defense was met with a series of blindingly-fast jabs at his torso, each of which he barely managed to withstand thanks to the protection of his trusty shield.

With each jab at Link’s torso; Tetra grew impatient - ultimately finding herself becoming increasingly tired after pressing the attack for the longest time. His shield wasn’t backing down and the pirate captain needed a way to break his defense.

“Twenty rupees on Tetra;”

A single set of jabs at Link proved futile; leaving Tetra to slowly back away from the Hero of Winds with an angry frown. Her gaze slowly shifted to the otherwise countless stacks of wooden containers and barrels dotted around the room - a mischievous grin slowly came forward - and she leapt forward to take the higher ground.

“You’re crazy! I’d give a half-eaten loaf of bread and a treasure chart on Link!”

With Tetra’s forward leap across the ships lower deck, she perfectly landed on top of a collection of wooden crates stacked high above Link’s position. The awful grin and the accompanying mischievous look on her face forced the Hero of Winds to back off and take on another defensive position, preparing for whatever Tetra had planned.

For an entire minute; the two stood their ground and waited for the next move. Link continued to hold his shield level up to his face with Tetra close to crouching on all fours, ready to pounce. The tension quickly broke off soon after, with Tetra slowly relaxing her body, standing upright, and leaning up against a nearby wooden barrel. A single bead of sweat slowly dripped down her face.

“Not bad,” Tetra began to speak, slowly taking in air with each valuable second she had to spare. Her posture slumped against a barrel, her fatigue quickly caught up with her and it was starting to become noticable. “If it wasn’t for that stupid shield, then I’d have mopped the deck with you.”

A cocky grin crept on Link’s face. “You’re so slow you can’t get around a shield? That’s too bad.” he knew this game all-too-well.

“Ah, now they’re trash talking each other!”

“Real men fight without shields, Link. Didn’t your teacher back home teach you that?”

“That’s our Tetra--!”

“A real captain would knock the shield out of their opponents hands.”

Tetra bit her lower lip, “Since when did you start trash-talking?” Her hands gently rested on her hips.

“I learned from the best.” A playful wink from her opponent sent an unusual shiver down her spine, even more so; Tetra felt her cheeks begin to redden by the slightest amount at Link’s cocky response.

“You wouldn’t know a good insult if it hit you in the face!”

“You’re right.” Link nodded in agreement, before smirking, “I don’t know what it's like to be hit in the face by the ugly stick.”

If Link wasn’t able to see Tetra’s red face earlier, then we was able to now. Her cheeks reddened to an embarrassingly visible amount; prompting her to wipe a seemingly non-existent bead of sweat off her forehead. It didn’t do any favours for the irritated expression she wore - a completely different attitude from the grins and bravado she sported earlier.

“Ouch. That’s going to cost Link a limb or two.”

“You little--!” Tetra fumed; but held herself back verbally. She teetered to the edge of the crate and hopped back down to the decking, looking none too pleased about Link’s comments. The Hero of Winds’ playful expression quickly dipped, “Hey, it’s just a little trash-talk. Nothing personal, right?”

“You-- You--,” Tetra continued to huff, lips pouting before standing a few steps away from her opponent. Her angry expression slowly diminished and turned back into the familiar grin that Link knew all-too-well. “Not bad, for an insult.”

Link shook his head in disbelief, “You’re not angry at me?”

“Oh, come on!” Tetra groaned. “It’s just trash talk. That’s not what’s making me mad.”

“Then what is?”

“This stupid fight!” Tetra growled, throwing her arms in the air. “We’ve been fighting for thirty minutes and none of us made any progress.”

Link shrugged in response, giving a warm smile. “It’s just training. There’s nothing wrong with a little practice here and there.”

When suddenly, a devious little grin crept on the side of Tetra’s mouth. “I know what’ll make things a little more interesting. What’dya reckon? Wanna’ place a few bets?” she winked.

A gap in the conversation gave Link a moment to think, he glared at Tetra before relaxing his gaze at the captain with another warm smile. His grip on his sword and shield relaxed, “What do you have in mind?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Tetra tapped her foot. “If I win; you’ll have to do laundry duty for an entire month.”

“Is that it...?”

“--And! You have to do it in my royal dress.” Her tone of voice was reaching peak condescension at this point. Link’s cheeks reddened, his lips wavering. It was a hefty, no; highly embarrassing price to pay if he were to lose. “What do you say to that, Mr. Hero?”

Admittedly, he originally opted for something more childish but if this was the path that he had to walk, then so be it. An outlandish bet wouldn’t hurt, all in the name of good fun. “If I win,”

He rubbed his chin. “then I’ll take you out for a romantic evening.”

…

…

…

“--What!? Did he say what I thought I heard him say?”

…

…

…

“Is that the best YOU can do?” Tetra scoffed, almost breaking into laughter. “That’s not how it works. You’re supposed to choose something embarrassing, not pleasant.”

“Oh,” Link’s eyes widened, he caught his opponent’s words. “So a romantic date is pleasant?”

“Ofcourse it--” Tetra forced her hands to her mouth, shutting herself off. Her eyes widened in sheer surprise with Link accompanying her with a hearty chuckle. “Oh, Shut up!”

“I’ll wear my best tunic.” He continued to chuckle, almost breaking into laughter. “I think I’m getting the hang of trash-talking now.”

“Shut up! Shut up!” Tetra felt her cheeks redden again, she pressed her lips together and puffed her cheeks. “It’s not as if I like you, anyways. It’s just a stupid bet!”

“It’s settled, then?” Link asked, readying his sword and shield into another fighting position. “If I win, a romantic date. If you win--”

“I get to see you clean Gonzo’s underwear in my royal dress.” Tetra grumbled, raising her scimitar. Her former smirk slowly returned as she readied herself, her blushed cheeks slowly returned back to their normal colour.

Not much more needed to be said; leading Tetra and Link to regain their previous combat stances with them both glaring into eachothers eyes. Tetra took the first step forward and readied her scimitar and leapt forward, planting a horizontal swipe at Link’s shield. Her blade clanged against the metallic surface of Link’s shield which slowly ebbed him closer and closer into a pile of barrels - a pile that happened to be devoid of contents - and continued to hold down the remaining ground he had.

In the corner of his vision, Link noticed a nearby shelf which happened to present several large pots neatly stacked in a line, feeling confident; he waited for another one of Tetra’s attacks and took the time to roll out of her reach. For the time being, this created a sense of space between the him and the captain.

The space between them didn’t last long. Tetra threw herself towards Link, jumping into the air with a deep yell and landing back down with her scimitar - once again - landing on Link’s hero shield. He needed to get her in the middle of the storage room, and fast.

For Tetra, her approach to combat became more frantic - and noticeably more desperate. Her small pauses in-between each horizontal and vertical slash ended up getting smaller and smaller with more of her energy exerted on knocking the shield out of Link’s hand. “I’m going to tear that shield apart and throw it overboard.”

And she did just that, in the small amount of time it took to re-adjust herself; Tetra raised her scimitar upwards and quickly slammed her blade against the side of Link’s shield. A ear-splitting metallic clang rattled the ship’s lower deck, causing both fighters to momentarily pause as Link’s trusty shield landed far removed from his reach.

The Hero of Winds was taken aback by the sudden slam - ultimately finding himself toddling backwards in confusion. His ears rung with a high-pitched pinging noise accompanied by a sudden headache that pressed against the back of his head.

A few steps backward, and he slowly regained control of himself; quickly adapting his technique - opting to grip his sword with both hands. While the pinging noise in his ears consumed his senses, he couldn’t but help frown at the overly-smug expression Tetra had begun to sport. He huffed in mild annoyance - ignoring the inaudible words coming from his opponent’s mouth - unfortunately having a pretty solid idea regarding what she was trying to say.

“Ooh, I see. Miss Tetra knocked the shield out of his hands, that should make the fight more interesting.”

“I know, right? It’s always a sure-fire sign when Miss Tetra gets ‘that’ face; she tends to win.”

“--What?! You’re rooting for Miss Tetra? Link is obviously going to win.”

“Pfft! As if!”

The pinging noise that drowned out Link’s hearing slowly began to die-down enough for him to concentrate, prompting him to consider the situation. His shield was thrown across the arena and his defensive strategy was thrown out of the window, his gaze slowly took Tetra’s condition into consideration; noticing the excessive beads of sweat and the uncoordinated breathing patterns as a result of her heavier strikes.

A smile grew on his face, if he were to push her over to the shelf and grab an empty pot - provided Tetra didn’t catch onto his plan and smash them - he would be able to end this fight once and for all.

His chance to strike back was now.

By taking advantage of Tetra’s fatigue, Link charged forward and jabbed directly towards her chest; noticing an instant counter, he quickly pulled back and swung for her head. Tetra took a few steps back, panting loudly, she quickly raised her scimitar and swatted the invading blade away. Her sword clashed against his, both locked together; pressing their body strength against one-another to try and desperately ebb the balance of the fight in their favour.

Their bodies were intertwined, and it was starting to wear both of them down physically. The amount of stress Tetra underwent was starting to take a toll on her muscles - leading to several cramping sensations in her arms and legs.

A few seconds later, Tetra finally broke away and took a few steps backwards - unknowingly standing directly underneath the shelf. The opportunity to strike was now; and Link was prompted to throw his sword at Tetra. The pirate captain effortlessly dodged the incoming blade by ducking her head and shifting to the side.

“Is that best you’ve got, Mr. Hero?” Tetra huffed, her arms visibly shaking. “You missed! You threw your sword at me and now you’re defenseless!”

“You talk too much!” Link responded, only exchanging a smug look towards Tetra.

“Wha--”

The shelf’s supports took the full-frontal blast of Link’s throw, the supports slowly fell apart which forced two entire rows of large blue pots to fall onto the lower decks flooring. A single large pot perfectly latched onto Tetra’s head and threw her balance off-centre. The rest shattered upon impact on the hard wooden surface, spilling out rupees and other goods that happened to rest inside.

Tetra fell to the floor in a blind-panic. Her vision was completely blockaded by the large pot and her scimitar had dropped from her grip. She struggled under the weight; failing to budge the large pot from her head. “You fu--”

The victory against the captain, while elating; felt incredibly short-lived when Link sprung into action and dashed over to Tetra’s flailing body. He dodged her un-coordinated kicks and wild punches and used the butt of his sword to crack the pot’s ceramic surface - gently making sure that he didn’t hit Tetra in the process.

Tetra closed her eyes in sudden fright as the pot crumbled around her. “I hate you!” Her cheeks puffed, while the colouration turned back to a familiar bright red that glowed like from earlier.

“Easy there,” Link began, kneeling down. “You’re fine.”

“I’m fine.” Tetra grumbled, she looked at Link and glared at the Hero of Winds. Her arms were crossed as if her behaviour were that of a pouty child.

Link blinked, “Are you sure?”

Her agitation with losing was clearly showing. Tetra slowly brushed off the remnants of the destroyed pot and continued to glare daggers at Link, all-the-while standing up. A sigh escaped her mouth, “Well done, airhead! You beat me. I can’t believe I fell for one of the oldest tricks--”

“It’s just a little bit of practice. No hard feelings, right?”

“No hard feelings.”

It felt awkward, but Tetra slowly softened her fierce glare at Link and took a moment to think. Her cheeks continued to burn a bright red, and she could feel the sensation in her stomach - quickly assuming that it was from exerting her physical energy. The creaking metal frame of the ship’s lower deck made the awkward silence even worse, not for Link; but for herself.

“A deal’s a deal.” Tetra bit her lower lip, groaning in defeat. “I’ll go on a date with you.”

“It’ll be fun.” Link felt his cheeks redden, sporting a sheepish grin.

“So...?” Tetra picked up her scimitar. “What’s the plan for tonight?

“I’m thinking of someplace quiet.”

“How quiet?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“Oh,” Tetra scoffed, “So that’s how it’s going to be?”

“Trust me,” Link reaffirmed. “I think some time to ourselves will do some good.”

“Pfft! Whatever, Mr. Hero.” Tetra rolled her eyes, she headed over to the lower decks ladders and proceeded to climb up. “If we’re going for a bite to eat, you’re paying for it.”

As Tetra left the lower deck, the sound of scrambled footsteps from the upper decks could be heard. Link chuckled to himself. He stood alone and looked at the smashed pots, admiring his own handy-work.

“Dinner for two. How hard can that be?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! If you’ve got a moment to spare then feel free to write up a review and tell me what you think. I’ll always be open to hearing constructive criticism, and overall general feedback. I’m looking to improve my writing and storytelling abilities so I’ll be happy to hear what you have to say.
> 
> Stay tuned for the next chapter!
> 
> \- TheLastApollo


	2. Advice

She was absolutely fuming. The oldest trick in the book was what caught her off-guard; and that stupid boy took advantage of her. If there was something - if anything - deemed worthy enough to be thrown across her quarters, then she’d happily lob a few heavy objects in Link’s general direction. Her body lifelessly dropped on the soft mattress resulting in a howl of pain escaping her lips. A grim reminder of the excessive damage she had done to her poor arms and legs. 

Of all things, her raw competitive spirit and ego admittedly brought this calamity on herself. The idea of having to accompany the Hero of Winds on a ‘romantic evening’ made her gag. And yet; her aching body felt soothed by the pleasant, yet conflicting, emotions bubbling deep inside.

A knock on the cabin door broke the very-little energy she had to spare in order to tilt her head towards the bedroom door, she cringed at the sudden pangs of pain in the back of her neck. 

Inhaling through gritted teeth, “Go away!”

Stiffness overtook her arms and legs; the adrenaline rush from her earlier sparring session had started to wear off. Agony consumed the rest of her young body; with beads of sweat dripping from her forehead as her breathing became more and more laboured. Amidst this, her eyes occasionally met with her own reflection in the mirror resting on her study desk. Not a single bruise; but a wide berth of sweat and, thankfully, invisible tears.

A second hard knock on the door broke Tetra out of her reverie. Her temper began to pulsate, “Not in the mood. Go away!”

It made no difference, either way. Her irritation at the invasive knocks on her door came to the proper climax when she caught the shape of a familiar green cap in the corner of the mirrors reflection. This can’t be happening. “Go away, Link!”

Ignoring the commands of his captain, the Hero of Winds slowly entered the room, bearing Tetra’s own scimitar in his hands; he slowly walked towards the bed and stood before her and offered a cordial smile. “You dropped your scimitar in the hallway.” He began, “I thought I’d return it before it ended up getting lost.”

For a moment, she paused herself and gazed at her weapon; before moving her eyes to scan Link’s smile for any sense of trickery hiding behind the sincere tone of voice - it was a smile that she wanted to slap out of him, so very hard. Her cheeks continued to redden at his mere presence, but she had enough strength - and common courtesy - to casually accept the sword back into her hands.

“I hate you, y’know.” 

“I know,” Link chuckled, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. “I know.”

The conversation abruptly stopped. An awkward silence hung over the two teenagers, with both of them forcing themselves to make no eye-contact on one-another for the longest time. The Hero of Winds used the silence to his advantage and rested the scimitar on the nearby desk. He made himself comfortable and hoisted himself up onto her bed, effectively sitting right next to her.

“I didn’t hurt you that bad, did I?” Link asked, approaching the conversation with an inquisitive tone. He pressed his hand against hers, their fingers soon interlocked.

Tetra bit her lip, “I’m fine.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

“No bruises, right?”

“I’m fine.” Tetra repeated, she stressed with a more sincere important tone of voice. She rested her arm on her lap, breaking her soft gaze away from the Hero of Winds, and pursed her lips. “Just a little frustrated.”

Her stomach churned, in a strange way; she couldn’t help but strengthen her grip on the Hero of Winds’ hand for a sense of reassurance - a reassurance for something she couldn’t quite explain. The brisk waves of the Great Sea roared from outside; and the creaking metal frame of her ship made for an ambience that slowly softened her sour mood.

Link cleared his throat, “You’re not still mad at me for what I did a few minutes ago, righ--?”

“--No!” A quick response, so quick to the point of sounding completely unnatural. “I’m angry at something else.” A sharp glare was directed at a large chart of the Great Sea that sat above her work desk, the silence that followed hung in the air.

He understood. And for once - he wasn’t going to follow up with a response.

The Hero of Winds sighed, and took the moment to dip a hand into his tunic pocket - reaching in to pull out a glass bottle with a familiar bright red substance inside. He swished the bottle’s liquid contents from side to side, “I was going to save this for myself after the fight, but--” He lost interest in speaking, trailing off and reverting back to being quiet.

His eyes drifted to the floor, “I see. You want to be alone.” His smile dropped.

Their fingers soon unwound, allowing Link to delicately shift himself away from the captain and hop off her bed. He planted the red potion on her desk and slowly headed for the door, “We’re going to be docking at Windfall Island in a couple of hours.”

The Hero of Winds left her private quarters. She sat still, occasionally glancing back and forth at the chart of the Great Sea and the small glass bottle on the desk. The conflict inside - a feeling she continued to try and recognise; forced her hand, and made her to lean forward and take hold of the bottle. 

Her thumb delicately traced across the cork, “Thanks.”

\---

The sombre atmosphere didn’t do any favours for Link in particular. He shuddered to think of the next few hours if Tetra wasn’t going to give-way, that is - if she even decided to soften to the prospect of having a nice little getaway from her crew to begin with. The Hero of Winds entered the shared living quarters and noticed his fellow crewmates, that being Niko and Mako; making themselves busy in their usual ways.

For Mako, being so busy reading the oversized book he always carried; was far too immersed in his studies to notice Link’s presence. On the other end of the spectrum, Niko immediately noticed him and loudly chomped on an apple he held.

Niko’s eyes lit up. “If it isn’t m’swabbie!” He sunk his teeth into the fruit, humming in delight at the taste. “How’d the fight go with Tetra? Did’ja kick the snot outta’ her?”

“It went well,” Link replied, offering a sheepish smile. “That’s about it.” 

“About it?” Niko playfully repeated, “Can’t stop there! You gotta’ tell me more!” He took another bite.

“There’s not much to say,” Link shrugged, “I stuck to my usual defensive technique while Tetra tried to knock the shield out of my hand.” He walked over to a nearby bunk bed and seated himself on the lower bunk.

“C’mon swabbie!” Niko continued to press on, “You’re always trying to outsmart Miss Tetra, and she’s pretty smart, y’know!”

Link chuckled in response, “Nah, just a normal practice session.” following his response with an earnest grin.

“But it wasn’t normal!” Niko threw his arms into the air, “You dropped a pot on Miss Tetra’s noggin - AND you asked her out on a da--” He suddenly realised what he had done; Niko slammed his hand over his mouth and took a step back from the Hero of Winds.

“What did you say?”

Niko blinked, “Er, nothing. Nothing. I just heard a rumour, that’s all.” he mentally cursed himself as Link’s gaze soon turned to a inquisitive glare.

“A rumour?” Link shuffled forward. “What rumour?”

“Well y’see--”

“--Niko and Zuko were spying on your sparring match with Miss Tetra, Link.” Mako began, much to Niko’s dismay. “He told Gonzo and the others about the little ‘romantic evening’ you’ve got planned for Miss Tetra - and Gonzo’s the least happy, if you’re wondering.” He finally dipped face behind the book, and continued to read as if nothing had happened.

Link frowned, he planted his gaze on a cowering Niko. “You told the others, why?”

“It wasn’t my fault!” Niko shook in his boots, “It was Zuko! Er-- Yeah! He made me blab your secret out!”

“No it wasn’t,” Mako chided, his face continued to hide behind the book. “You told ME in front of the others.”

Caught again. The colour felt like it was starting to drain from Niko’s face - perhaps even worse. He backed into a corner, and cowered in fear at the harshness of Link’s surprisingly rare frown. “Y’forgive me, right? I didn’t mean to blab! You’re my favourite swabbie!”

The Hero of Winds couldn’t hold on for much longer. His postured chest deflated, and so did his frown, leaving him standing in the middle of the room looking quite defeated. “Oh, nevermind.” He sighed, returning back to his bed. “I can’t be angry at you.”

Niko’s expression dropped, “You can’t?” he racked his brains hoping that this wasn’t some sort of trick.

Link huffed in response, “It’s my fault to begin with.”

“But,” Niko blinked, “Why--?”

“I feel like I made a mistake,” Link threw his arms forward, before pulling his arms back in order to remove his green cap. “I was so caught up in the fight, that; I started to get into the groove of things a little too much - especially when I started to trash-talk Tetra.”

“Aah,” Niko shook his head, “A little bit of trash-talk doesn’t do any harm. If I didn’t do any trash-talking in a fight then that’d make me a big softy!” He dismissively waved the Hero of Winds concerns away, puffing his chest out with a smirk.

“If I remember correctly,” Mako lowered his book, “The last time you ‘tried’ to trash-talk got you stuffed in a barrel and almost launched into the side of Dragon Roost Island.”

“It’s not my fault Gonzo can’t handle insults like a man.” Niko responded, simply shrugging off Mako’s jab. He looked back at Link, “And besides, you’re the lucky guy who’s going to take Miss Tetra for a perfect date. That’s gotta mean something.”

“That’s the thing,” Link ran his fingers through his blonde locks, biting his lip. “I’ve never been on a date before and I don’t know what to do.”

“There’s nothing to be nervous about.” Niko added, chuckling. “I’ve got plenty’o experience with the ladies myself, actually.”

“You do?” Link asked, cocking his head to the side.

“He doesn’t,” Mako dryly responded, “He thinks because the Queen of Fairies on Mother and Child Isles called him cute once means he’s got the power to woo any sea-faring lady with his ‘unique charisma’.”

“Precisely!” Niko confirmed, “She’s magical, y’know! I must’ve been doing something right if she went out of her way to call me cute.”

“--What?” Mako blinked, he finally took his eyes off the book. “You can’t be serious. The Queen of Fairies calls everyone ‘her type’. Mako set his book down, his neutral expression soon changed to a frown of annoyance.

“But I’m still her type,” Niko tapped his forehead, still attempting to sound smart. “So there.”

“--Whatever.”

“Is there any helpful advice you could give me?” Link bit his lip, resisting the hard urge to laugh.

With a final bite into the apple, Niko idly chucked the remnants of the fruit aside - and began to think. “Ah,” He snapped his fingers and a brilliant idea had popped into his head. “Well, y’see--”

\---

The effects of the red potion seemed to kick in about twenty minutes after the first initial swig, and that seemed to keep the awful numbing sensations at bay - for which provided the benefit of muting Tetra’s somewhat unbalanced mood under control. Her stomach continued to tingle with a hint of uncertainty and nervousness she couldn’t quite explain, but she had a sneaking suspicion that it regarded with what she was about to do. 

Ask for help.

An entire minute had passed without even taking the first step forward. She planted her fist on the cabin door and knocked several times, each of which became quieter with each passing knock. The door opened to slowly reveal Nudge on the other side, prompting the elder pirate to sport a toothy smile.

“Miss Tetra!” He brushing a hand against his own cheek, squealing from an apparent burst of over-excitement. “How nice of you to visit, is there anything I can do for you, sweetie?”

Tetra felt uncharacteristically nervous, “I need your help.”

The elder pirate’s brow arched, his gleeful smile soon dropped with his hand now curiously rubbing his chin. “Uh oh, something’s wrong. What’s the matter?” A hint of playfulness could still be heard in his voice.

“I just want to let off some steam.”

“Oh honey,” He cooed, “You know that bottling up those negative feelings turns you nasty.”

“Nasty? My ass.” Tetra couldn’t tell if the elder pirate caught her inflammatory whisper or not, but she felt a twinge of regret at simply swearing in the presence of Nudge to begin with.

“Come inside,” Nudge gently took Tetra by the hand, pulling her into his private quarters; peering at the empty corridor before closing his door. “Do excuse my clothes, they’re everywhere!”

That was an over-exaggeration. The pirate’s collection of handmade clothes were littered everywhere - clipped to the walls; hung on the ceiling and even being packed tightly inside a small nearby wardrobe. A collection of multi-coloured strings, rope, sharp needles; and threads were haphazardly strewn across multiple surfaces.

It felt like a spectacle in its own right, but Tetra couldn’t deny the simple pleasure of seeing the bright multi-coloured threads hook from one side of the room to the other. 

“You’ve been busy.” Tetra’s eyes widened. 

“I know!” Nudge happily agreed, he sat himself down on a nearby chair and crossed his legs. “I’ve been so busy with my newest designs that I lost track of time. I drafted several blueprints, made several adjustments to your boots, but--” He stopped himself, “That’s enough about me. What seems to be the problem, Princess?”

She bit her lip in preparation; while she had a lot to say there wasn’t much in terms of vocabulary that could perfectly describe her current predicament - save for one word in particular. “It’s Link!” Tetra let loose, hysterically throwing her arms forward. “That green tunic, pointy-cap wearing little bastar--”

“--Language!”

“--Pointy-cap wearing little, little-- Moblin’s behind!”

Nudge felt the silence come afterward. “That’s quite the mouthful, little lady. What about Link is making you angry?”

“He beat me!” Tetra huffed, grunting in frustration. “He’s a sneaky, good-for-nothing fu--, friggin’ airhead who dropped a pot on my head when I let my guard down.”

“I see.” The elder pirate tapped his chin, developing a calm and understanding tone of voice for the captain.

“That’s not the worst part,” Tetra’s tone soon returned to the familiar depressive sulk, “We started to make several bets and if I won; I’d get to see his dumb smug face doing laundry duty in my old royal dress.”

“--But that’s a one-of-a-kind artifact, Miss Tetra!” 

She completely ignored that response. “And now,” Her head lowered in defeat, lips quivering, “I have to accompany him on a romantic evening.” It stung to even go as far to say those words, but she felt better for getting it off her chest.

“--A romantic evening?”

“Pfft! Oh yeah, isn’t that the worst thing you can imagin--”

The second the words registered Nudge’s mind, a million ideas - all of them seemingly brilliant - had started to formulate. He stood from his seat, and excitedly flapped his hands trying to think of the first thing to act upon. “How gentlemanly of Link to ask you out on a date. I’m so excited!”

“What?” Tetra snapped her gaze back at the elder pirate, feeling a large lump developing in her throat. “Didn’t you listen to a single word I just said? I’m not going out on a date with that moron!” Her anger, couldn’t suppress the tingling sensation that re-appeared in her stomach; which in turn made her cheeks burn once more.

“Why not? You’re a match made in heaven.”

“Excuse me?” Tetra incredulously responded, her eye suddenly started to twitch in sheer aggravation. 

“Don’t be so silly,” Nudge cooed, he took several gentle steps forward and placed a hand on Tetra’s shoulder, pulling the captain into a soft hug. “I’ve seen the way you look at him.” He chuckled.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tetra mumbled, she felt incredibly sensitive at the familiar father-like embrace. It started to quiet down, enough for Tetra to reconsider her options and instead chose to awkwardly wrap her arms around the other pirate’s waist.

“Oh sweetie,” Nudge shook his head, smiling. “You’re growing up. That little miss bossy boots who paraded around the ship is turning into a beautiful blossom with special feelings for that handsome man.”

“--Nudge! This is embarrassing.”

“It’s perfectly normal to have these feelings.” 

It didn’t feel normal, at all. She could list out a number of reasons why Link was making her mad - but it wouldn’t make any difference. Her approach to dealing with these underlying issues had been to avoid them for the longest time, or even deflect and quickly move on to something else if possible. Tetra felt her heartbeat steady in the arms of her second-in-command, finally succumbing to the warm influence of Nudge’s sincere hug; resting her head against his burly chest before letting out a few light hums.

The room fell quiet for both; letting the moment soak in before Nudge craned his head closer to his captain’s ears. “Is the Princess of the Pirate Ship feeling any better?”

“A little.”

Their warm embrace soon came to an end. As Nudge had released his soft grip on the pirate and wandered over to his wardrobe and began to rummage through, revealing what seemed to be a countless variety of clothing. “If you’re going on that date then you’ll need to wear something special.”

“I told you,” Tetra continued, “I don’t want to do it.”

The elder pirate ignored her comments, instead focusing on exploring his own catalogue of handmade clothing until he spotted something that caught his eye. “What are you afraid of? It’s going to be a nice time for both of you.”

“He’s going to embarrass me infront of everyone.” Tetra frowned, “I just know it.”

“You need to stop being so defensive.” Nudge smiled, grabbing hold of several pieces of clothing off the rack.

“Am not!” Tetra childishly replied, folding her arms. “He stuffed a pot on my head, I can’t let my guard down.”

“Is that all?” 

Tetra paused, “All what?”

A grin formed across Nudge’s lips. He pulled out a collection of clothing and rested them on a nearby desk, sorting them out individually. Tetra leaned forward, and noticed the assortment of materials and clothing, specifically - a worn green skirt that rung a strange sense of familiarity through her head.

“Is that all?” Nudge chuckled, his brow arched slyly. “You’re getting very defensive over a pot being squished on your precious noggin. In fact, weren’t you the same person who tried to attempt the same trick - when you were fighting Link a week ago, no less?”

And then it hit her. She felt incredibly stupid for even responding back; her cheeks lightened back to the familiar red hue that she made her feels this way. It felt as if one of Cyclos’ own tornado’s had smacked her right in the middle of the face. “I’m not jealous! I worked hard to try and perform that trick, and he did it without even trying!”

“Oh-ho!” Nudge laughed, “I’m just teasing, Miss Tetra. There’s more important things to worry about than a silly little sparring match. For instance; I need to try on a few clothes to prepare for tonight.” Tetra felt an awful chill creep down her spine. The room suddenly fell quiet, giving the poor captain a moment to let the words sink in before finding the urge to run.

“Oh no.”

“--Oh yes! We’ve only got an hour before we reach Windfall; so let’s make sure you get to try on as many dresses as possible, post-haste!”

\---

The following ‘lesson’ provided by Niko was certainly an experience. The Hero of Winds couldn’t believe the words coming from his fellow crew mate - but there was the proof - a genuine smooth talker in the realm of dating, who knew. He stood before a stained mirror; gazing into his sodden reflection with a hearty smile and a gentle satisfied hum to boot. The Hero’s Tunic wouldn’t suffice for such an occasion like this. A pair of slim-fitting tan trousers, a basic white button tee; and a swanky light brown waistcoat that gallantly displayed only the finest of craftsmanship and stitching that could only be considered for a night this special.

The smaller details past the clothing also provided an extra lick of charm for the Hero. His long messy locks of hair were tamed by the stressed efforts of a simple comb; which neatly organized his - previously hidden under the cap - Lynel’s mane of a hairdo and transformed it into a clean and well-groomed flair. A black tie was gently wrapped around his collar with the bottom-half dipped into the waistcoat as a final finishing touch.

And yet; something was missing. That final accessory which would complete his look for tonight. Something that went the extra mile to make that special impression on Miss Tetra. He pondered on what could possibly be missing, but sadly, had not a single clue as to what would complete his set.

“Looking good, swabbie!” Niko began, his loud words of encouragement was enough to break Link out of his reverie. The Hero of Winds responded by turning towards him, and beaming the hearty smile with an eventual hint of shyness. “If Miss Tetra won‘t be swept away by those dashin’ looks o’ yours, then I don’t know what’s gonna!”

“Thanks,” Link felt his cheeks begin to redden. The praise led him to awkwardly run his fingers through his finely combed hair, “I can’t put my finger on it but it feels like there’s something missing.”

With an inquisitive glance towards the Hero of Winds’ choice of clothing, Niko felt compelled to slowly rub his chin. “Y’look like a million and a half rupees! A lucky charm is what you’re thinkin’ of.”

Link replied back with a bemused expression of his own. “A lucky charm?”

“Sure, sure.” He drifted his gaze elsewhere, simply nodding. “A lucky charm is what all good pirates need in order to woohoo that special lady in the prime of their treasure huntin’ days.”

“What counts as a lucky charm?”

Niko felt a devilish grin tug at the side of his mouth, “There’s a ton o’ things that makes a lucky charm so special. The biggest problem is thinkin’ of what counts as a lucky charm! After that, er; well--- Then you’d be lucky for the rest of the night!”

The idea of a lucky charm, or perhaps even a gift for Tetra didn’t seem that bad of an idea. A sweet, lighthearted present would surely lift her dire spirits and make the night much more enjoyable. The Hero of Winds slowly waltzed across the shared living quarters, and dipped his head under the top bunk to immediately focus on a small shelf that - by sheer coincidence - was perched above from where he rested his head. “Would one of my items count as a lucky charm?” 

“Nah,” Niko shook his head disapprovingly . “It’s gotta be something small, and fancy.”

There wasn’t much that described ‘small’, or even ‘fancy’. A general glance at Link’s own arsenal of trinkets and treasures from adventures long since past left quite the impression - but not in the way he had hoped. The fabled Wind Waker was one of the more useful items in his personal collection. Despite the precious sentimental value that the conductor's baton possesed; it didn’t ring out as lucky charm material. The same notion applied to the Hero’s Charm and his power bracelets, all of which were items he had acquired during his first adventure that seemed to have no immediate spark as contender for a lucky charm.

The Hero of Winds leaned back, and pressed his head against the side of the bunk above his own. He continued to wonder what out of all the treasures, delight’s; and ancient artifacts discovered in the last six years could possibly live up to the standard of lucky charm 

“Something small and fancy?” Link urged out a thoughtful whisper, not that it mattered if his fellow crew mates heard his words or not. He was starting to speak his mind.

“If it makes ya’ feel any better,” Niko piped up, “I keep a special piece of rope in my pocket, y’never know when something like that’s gonna come in handy.”

Then, it occured to Link. The mention of rope, and out of all the treasures and trinkets that he belonged led him to come to a sudden realization. “That’s it! The Pirate’s Charm!”

“The Pirate’s Charm?” An inquisitive yelp came from Niko, prompting the smaller pirate to slowly make his way over to Link’s bed. “Why didn’t I think o’ something like that? You’re a pretty smart cookie, swabbie.”

The Hero of Winds took the opportunity to dip a hand underneath his pillow, and immediately, felt a familiar stone-like surface brush against his hands. A soft ocean-blue luminescent glow emanated deep within the core as Link lifted the transparent stone eye-level. It decently lit up a small portion of the bunk bed upon the arrival of Link’s delicate touch. 

“Can I borrow your ‘lucky’ rope?” The blue light coming from the Pirate’s Charm eventually dimmed enough for both Link and Niko to further inspect the stone. The Hero of Winds presented the stone to his fellow crewmate, “I’ll wrap it around the Pirate’s Charm and keep it in my pocket.”

“Brilliant idea!” Niko replied, he snatched the stone from Link’s hands and dipped a hand of his own inside a trouser pocket; where he retrieved a tattered piece of rope - that resembled a basic piece of string than a rope - and began to expertly wrap the material around the charm. “With this shining around ‘yer neck; everybody will know just by lookin’ at m’best swabbie and Miss Tetra is back in the Great Sea!”

A short chuckle came from the other side of the room. And while Niko happened to be occupied by his work on the Pirate’s Charm; Link looked toward the far-corner of the living quarters and acknowledged Mako’s quiet presence. The fellow pirate was still entrenched in his - seemingly endless - reading session. 

“In a kind of strange way,” Mako began, his face was still hidden behind the book. “They haven’t left the Great Sea. Their deeds - whether they be positive or negative - wouldn’t really need the help of the Pirate’s Charm to remind the people of Windfall, or even the rest of the Great Sea, who Link and Miss Tetra are.”

“Positive and negative?” Niko replied, quickly deciding to adopt an incredulous tone of voice. “They’re do-gooders! Y’know, the stuff of legends? I like ta’think Miss Tetra and swabbie made a lasting legacy on Windfall, is all.”

A final grumble from Mako prompted him to slowly lower his book, and peer over the top; only to look generally unimpressed at Niko’s response. “I think the people of Windfall will especially remember Link and Miss Tetra. They’re the ones who spent the most doing good deeds for everyone, after all. I do have one question, what’s the plan for tonight?”

The Hero of Winds looked away, and began to think. “I’m thinking of taking her to the cafe. That’s probably the best place to sit down and relax.”

“Good thinking.” Mako followed with a respectful nod, he dipped his face back behind his book and idly turned a page. “Miss Tetra hasn’t been in the best of moods recently and I think she’ll eventually let down her defenses - as tough as they are, mind you - after a hearty meal and a little fun.”

“Hhn-g! A little fun, eh?” The devilish grin on Niko’s lips had reappeared. “Is m’swabbie gonna be a man and smooch up a storm?”

The playful suggestion from Niko - while completely harmless - sent a horrible shiver up Link’s spine. He had never thought about taking the initiative to kiss someone before. The only previous experience happened to be on the receiving end of many different people’s unique ways of showing appreciation from countless adventures long since passed. A burning sensation came to his cheeks - prompting him to drop his usual smile - and regret the sudden weight his now-shaking legs were now carrying.

What made things worse was the fact that Niko and Mako immediately caught on to Link’s awkward silence. The Hero of Winds waved away the comment dismissively, “Don’t be silly. I’m not going to kiss her.”

“Be honest,” Niko intoned, he playfully crossed his arms and raised a curious brow towards his crew mate. “Is m’swabbie brave enough to steal Miss Tetra’s heart like a true pirate? If you did, you’d be the most unstoppable-- erm, you’d be the best in the-- well, somethin’ really good I tell ya’ what.”

“Oh please,” Mako scoffed, once again lowering his book to peer at the Hero of Winds. “The lad’s stormed the Forsaken Fortress twice, slain the King of Evil; and lasted two minutes on Cucco Island. I think he’s more than capable of handling Miss Tetra.”

The teasing, while somewhat entertaining, put a slight pressure on the Hero of Winds. He had imagined himself getting closer to Tetra in ways he normally wouldn’t imagine. The idea of openly discussing those types of feelings for the captain as a whole felt like a death sentence; or it would be if his affection for Tetra wasn’t so blindingly obvious. Especially around his fellow crew mates. “Well, that’s just normal adventure stuff. Tetra is completely different. I mean-- well, er.”

“We’re only teasing, Link.” Mako finally added, forming a light smirk amidst Niko’s own drawn-out laughter. “What private business you have with Miss Tetra is of no concern to any of us. You’re too young to be thinking about things like that, anyways.”

“Too young? That’s a good one!” Niko found the chance to respond amidst the laughter. He presented the Pirate’s Charm to Link, who in return gingerly accepted the luminous stone with the added rope tied around it. “He’s sixteen years old. He’s a man! A manly man, in fact! He’d sweep Miss Tetra off’a feet and marry her in no time!”

“I didn’t say anything about marrying!” Link quickly responded - a little too quick to sound completely natural. His face reddened as his cheeks puffed profusely in slight frustration, eliciting a suppressed laugh from Niko.

“And hey, when yer’ finished with marrying Miss Tetra; y’gotta think about having babies!”

“---That’s enough!”

The teasing came to an abrupt end as a fourth voice soon entered the conversation. A rough bark followed through and quickly sliced through the hearty chuckles and lightweight teasing, which allowed an awkward silence to hang above the others - a silence that drew many flustered and worried looks. All three crew members quickly turned to see Gonzo standing in the middle of the doorway. The ship’s second-in-command. He stood incredibly tall; obviously posing with an authoritative puffed out chest and a pair of folded arms. 

The ships second-in-command didn’t respond at first, and instead decided to emit a distasteful grunt in Link’s immediate presence. “I just wanted to congratulate you on defeating Miss Tetra, y’hear?”

“Oh, thanks.” Link couldn’t quite know how to interpret the response. The older pirate’s tone of voice was unreadably blank, and any sense of genuine praise or underhanded hostility went directly over his head. “That’s very kind of you.”

His expression continued to sour, “She’s waiting for you, yeah?”

“We’re at Windfall already?” Link raised a brow, the stressful weight that he felt in his knees had suddenly spread across the rest of his body and onto his shoulders. He quickly glanced back at the dirtied mirror and inspected his clothing, and hastily adjusted any slight imperfections that his choice in clothing now magically presented.

“Yes.” A flat reply came from Gonzo. He slowly walked back over to the doorway and rested a hand on the doorframe, a final glare at the Hero of Winds lead the larger pirate to slowly exit the room before disappearing completely. “Top deck, hurry.” 

Gonzo had left. The awkward silence that followed completely eliminated the lighthearted attitude from earlier. The sharp - yet unmistakably cold - silent glare towards Link brought an unusual bubbling sensation in his stomach forward.

“Well--” Niko whistled, awkwardly tapping his foot on the wooden flooring. “Y’heard him, right--? Miss Tetra’s waiting for you t’treat her like royalty! Let’s go!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> \- TheLastApollo


End file.
